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United States Patent |
6,063,478
|
Schaupert
,   et al.
|
May 16, 2000
|
Transport shield, assembly aid and operating means for glass ceramic
panels
Abstract
A transport shield is provided for brittle glass and glass ceramic panels
susceptible to scratching and fracturing to be integrated into a cooker,
in particular as cooking surfaces. The transport shield remains
permanently joined to the panel during installation, assembly and
operation and is formed to act as a protector during mounting, a
positioning aid, a separator, an elongation compensating medium and/or a
sealing member and/or an inspection window in profiled panels.
Inventors:
|
Schaupert; Kurt (Hofheim, DE);
Scheidler; Herwig (Mainz, DE)
|
Assignee:
|
Schott Glaswerke (Mainz, DE)
|
Appl. No.:
|
511525 |
Filed:
|
August 4, 1995 |
Foreign Application Priority Data
| Apr 08, 1993[DE] | 43 11 758 |
Current U.S. Class: |
428/192; 414/789.5; 428/34.4; 428/161 |
Intern'l Class: |
B32B 009/00 |
Field of Search: |
156/522
414/789.5
428/192,688,34.4,161
219/464
|
References Cited
U.S. Patent Documents
3133853 | May., 1964 | Know | 428/161.
|
3567906 | Mar., 1971 | Hurko | 126/211.
|
3903669 | Sep., 1975 | Pease, Jr. et al. | 52/455.
|
3978633 | Sep., 1976 | Scheidler et al.
| |
4243016 | Jan., 1981 | Kristen et al. | 126/211.
|
4743336 | May., 1988 | White | 156/522.
|
4775570 | Oct., 1988 | Ohlenforst et al. | 428/192.
|
4863340 | Sep., 1989 | Masunaga et al. | 414/789.
|
4916873 | Apr., 1990 | Keys | 52/208.
|
5158638 | Oct., 1992 | Osanami et al. | 156/245.
|
Foreign Patent Documents |
74 01 645 | Jan., 1974 | DE.
| |
90 00 733 | May., 1990 | DE.
| |
41 03 664 C1 | Jan., 1992 | DE.
| |
Primary Examiner: Ryan; Patrick
Assistant Examiner: Jewik; Patrick
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Millen, White, Zelano & Branigan, P.C.
Parent Case Text
This application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 08/225,069,
filed Apr. 8, 1994 now abandoned.
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A cooking apparatus comprising:
a stack of glass ceramic panels,
said glass ceramic panels having a fluted profile and cooking surface
zones; and
cushions selected from the group consisting of silicone and transparent
epoxy resin, said cushions being outside the cooking surface zones and
arranged to form an inspection window through the glass ceramic panel,
said cushions attached to said glass ceramic panel by filling the fluted
profile of the glass ceramic panel;
said cooking apparatus capable of being protected against damage during the
transportation of the cooking apparatus.
2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the stack is comprised of glass
ceramic panels in which the panels extent vertically.
3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the cushions have a non-adhesive
surface for engaging adjacent panels and for engaging a frame when the
panels are mounted.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention concerns a transport shield for brittle glass and glass
ceramic panels susceptible to scratching and fracturing to be integrated
into a cooker, in particular as cooking surfaces.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
During transport, the surfaces and edges of glass and glass ceramic panels
must be shielded against mutual contact and contact with hard objects,
since scratches substantially diminish their resilience to shock and
bending.
For example, glass ceramic panels typically sized from 20.times.40 cm to
50.times.100 cm are transported in reusable boxes containing app. 150
pieces each, with the panels standing upright. Mutual contact of the
panels is thereby prevented in that air cushion foils--so-called "burled"
foils--or cardboard strips are interposed. The air cushion foil covers the
panel surface completely, while the cardboard strips only cover app.
10-20% of the surface.
In both cases, a relatively large amount of material which has to be
disposed of is left after unpacking. Recycling of the air cushion foil is
uneconomical, due to its high transport volume, the variety of its
external forms and the low cost of the new product.
Detachable synthetic jambs present a further option, but they must be
elaborately secured against displacement and are barely usable with panels
with larger, extended radii.
However, due to their low volume and usability with all panels not having
radii, synthetic jambs are reusable.
A transport rack for glass panels is known from the DE 41 29 058 C1,
comprising a warp-resistant base, wherein horizontal mounting ledges for
upright arrangement of the glass panels and clamping means acting upon the
upper edges of the erect glass panels are provided, whereby rows of
orthogonal support rods forming slide-in compartments for individual glass
panels to be inserted from above are arranged on the base and a
slider-shaped holding member is spring-fastened to each support rod in
such manner that under initial stress it is also attachable to the upper
edge of the glass panel inserted in the slide-in compartment associated
with the respective support rod.
The manufacture of the transport rack according to DE 41 29 058 is costly,
and the rack is relatively fragile due to its many moving parts.
During installation and assembly of the glass ceramic panels, e.g., in the
frame of the cooking range, it is vital to ensure that the panel is
deposited flexibly and free of tension. For this purpose, separators are
glued into the frame prior to deposition of the panel.
These separators are foam material strips of 1 to 2 mm thickness having a
surface dimension of app. 5.times.10 mm, which are adhesive on one or both
sides and of sufficient temperature stability. Two or three separators are
applied to each side of the frame, whereby attention must be given to
complete and precise positioning of the separators, since contact between
the panel and the frame can cause damage resulting in a reduction of the
firmness of the panel. In addition, a permanent elastic connection between
the glass ceramic panel and the enclosing frame is needed to achieve the
following:
stress-free mounting of the cooking surface in the enclosing frame;
sealing of the upper side of the cooking surface against seepage of liquid
into the space underneath containing live electrical components; and
compensation of the elongation differences resulting from the differential
thermal expansion of the frame material and the cooking surface during
use.
This is presently achieved by appropriate positioning of the panel in the
frame and by filling the gap with silicon adhesive.
The invention proceeds from the problem of providing an economic solution
for safe and waste-avoiding transport and easy assembly, which also meets
further safety requirements by providing, e.g., an inspection window for
visual displays and safe-use indicators, for example, of water tightness,
as well as providing for easy cleaning of the glass or glass ceramic
panels integrated in the cooking range.
The problem is solved according to the present invention in that the
transport shield remains permanently connected to the panel after
transport, i.e., during installation, assembly and use. The transport
shield is thereby usefully constructed to act as a protector during
assembly, a positioning aid, a separator, an elongation compensating
medium and/or a sealing member.
In a further embodiment, the transport shield provides an inspection window
having a smooth surface facing outwards, in particular in profiled panels,
by means of filling the profile, e.g., with a transport material (DE 41 04
983 C1).
In a preferred embodiment, the transport shield is glued to the panel,
whereby the transport shield consists of permanently elastic compounds
containing silicon, in particular silicon rubber and/or silicon resins
and/or age-hardening or thermoplastic synthetic resins.
To ensure easy application, organic materials, i.e., synthetic resins, are
preferred. Age-hardening synthetic resins, which are applied in highly
viscous state and which form smooth surfaces due to their surface tension,
are particularly suitable. A large variety of such age-hardening synthetic
resins is commercially available. Epoxy resins, silicon resins, furan
resins, polyester resins, acrylic resins or polyurethane resins are
particularly suitable. Thermoplastic resins which also possess good
transparency, such as, e.g., polyvinyl chloride, polystyrene and
polyester, in particular acrylic resins, and polycarbonates as well as
polyvinyl acetates and acetals are also suitable. In softened state, these
thermoplastic materials can be pressed onto the heated or unheated panel
with suitable implements or, according to a preferred embodiment, applied
to the panel by means of spraying.
The transport shield according to the invention is connected to the panel
particularly in the panel portions not subject to heating during use, thus
ensuring that the organic compounds used are never brought to the limit of
their temperature stability.
According to the invention, the transport shield is applied to one side of
the panel, the bottom side.
The transport shield is thereby preferably arranged in the rim or edge area
of the panel and can thus form an elastic cushion around its circumference
protecting the panel against damage.
Due to the good level formation of the panels, a very small thickness of
the transport shield in the range of 0.2 to 4 mm, in particular 1 to 2 mm,
is sufficient to prevent damage during transport. Since the transport
shield "cushions" are firmly connected to the panel and panels forming one
batch are of identical dimension, small cushions of app. 5.times.5 mm to
10.times.10 mm are sufficient for reliable prevent of panel damage. The
transport shield according to the invention may also be detachably
connected to the panel, which is particularly advantageous when the panel
is disassembled from the cooker and the operating and auxiliary means are
to be removed, e.g., to recycle the panels.
Furthermore, it is also conceivable to connect the transport shield
"cushions" detachably to the panel, if they are, e.g., also to be applied
to the upper surface of the panel.
The invention also concerns means resp. auxiliary means for installation,
assembly and operation of a glass or glass ceramic panel to be integrated
in a cooking range as a cooking surface and/or means for forming an
inspection window in a profiled panel, if said means resp. auxiliary means
are permanently joined to the panel as a transport shield prior to
preparing the panel for transport.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Various other objects, features and attendant advantages of the present
invention will be more fully appreciated as the same becomes better
understood when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings,
in which like reference characters designate the same or similar parts
throughout the several views, and wherein:
FIG. 1 is a plan view of a glass ceramic panel according to the invention,
wherein the transport shield is already applied to the panel;
FIG. 2 is a section view through a transport shield "cushion" in the edge
area of FIG. 1 during mounting in the frame;
FIG. 3 is a further optional embodiment of the transport shield "cushion"
in the edge area with special edge protection in mounting position;
FIG. 4 is a second through a glass ceramic panel having a one-sided profile
with a transport shield creating an inspection window; and
FIG. 5 is a side view of a stack of the glass ceramic panels of FIGS. 1-4.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
FIG. 1 shows a commercially available 45.times.75 cm CERAN.RTM. glass
ceramic panel (4) having cooking surface zones (2) indicated in the decor
of the panel, for installation in a cooker. In the cold area of the
cooking range, i.e., outside the cooking surface zones (2), silicone
cushions (1) and (3) are applied as transport shields.
The cushions are formed by means of spraying on of the nontransparent
silicon adhesive later used for mounting or, if required, using
transparent material commonly used on flat glass products for areas
offering good inspection (DE 41 04 983 C1).
Both materials are suitable due to their adhesive strength and their
chemical and thermal stability. Due to the good level formation of the
panels, a very small thickness of the cushions in the range of 1 to 2 mm
is sufficient to prevent damage during transport where the plates are
arranged upright and side by side as is set forth in the "Background of
the Invention."
Since the cushions are firmly joined to the panel and the panels
respectively possess identical measurements, small cushions of app.
5.times.5 mm to 10.times.10 mm are completely sufficient to reliably
prevent panel damage.
The cushions may be applied on the bottom side of the panel on the surface
(1) outside the cooking surface zones (2) or also on the edge (3). In the
latter position, they simultaneously act as an undetachable assembly aid,
form a shield against the frame and ensure flexible mounting, as shown in
FIG. 2.
If the cushion is pulled around the edge (3'), as shown in FIG. 3, the
required minimum distance is also ensured in lateral direction.
If further transport shield "cushions" are realized in one operation with a
coating applied to the profiled glass, as shown in FIG. 4, to facilitate
distortionless inspection, e.g., in the display area, this solution is
particularly economical. FIG. 4 shows a glass ceramic panel (4) comprising
an, e.g., flute-type profile (5,5',5") defining grooves, etc. The profile
is filled with a transparent epoxy resin (6) in a partial area of the
panel and thereby forms an inspection window in a diaphanous area.
Since this transport shield is not removed, the problem of packaging
material disposal is also eliminated.
The entire disclosures of all applications, patents and publications, cited
above and below, and of corresponding application German P 43 11 758.9,
filed Apr. 8, 1993, are hereby incorporated by reference.
From the foregoing description, one skilled in the art can easily ascertain
the essential characteristics of this invention, and without departing
from the spirit and scope thereof, can make various changes and
modifications of the invention to adapt it to various usages and
conditions.
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